HAIRSPRAY The Unauthorized Sequel 'Part Three'
by hairsprayheart
Summary: The THIRD part of the sequel to the beloved new Hairspray movie musical, as written by hairsprayheart, a devoted fan. NOW COMPLETE!
1. An Awakening

What happens when you die? Do you go through some pearly gates? See your Savior? Maybe, see your deceased relatives?

These are the things Link was asking himself as he seemed to be laying in limbo, somewhere between life and heaven. (At least, he hoped he was going there.) He seemed to be stuck in some dreamlike state, in an empty room of white. Someone was crying, but he couldn't see anything but white, and he couldn't move. He opened his eyes then, and blinked.

"Am I in heaven?" he managed.

"Oh my God, he's awake!" he heard a nurse shout.

A form shot up out of a chair in his room.

_Tracy_.

Link began to cry, and Tracy kept crying, falling over herself and various cords and plugs as she tried to get to him.

The announcement of his consciousness was chorused throughout the hospital and soon, Link's room was filled with people.

"What the hell were you thinkin', jumpin' in fronta me like that?" Seaweed yelled.

"We're so glad you're okay!" some of the council members said together.

"Does it hurt?" Penny asked.

"Can you still sing?" (Corny.)

"I LOVE YOU!" Tracy bawled.

Link tried to sit up to give her a hug, but pain shot through his stomach, and he grimaced and fell back. He gave her a sheepish smile and settled for telling her, "I love you too, Trace."

"Leave them alone, everyone," Maybelle said protectively, pushing everyone gently out of the room.

Link shot her a grateful smile, and turned to Tracy.

"I know you do," she told him, giving him a gentle kiss on the cheek. "I'm sorry that I told you that I didn't. I wasn't… I didn't know what I was talking about. I think I would die without you."

"What happened?" Link asked, taking her hand in his gently. He shuddered to look at it – it was covered with tubes and tape.

"Oh, Link," Tracy said, sniffling, "we were on stage in Alabama for the tour when somebody tried to shoot Seaweed. It was awful." She sniffled again, and Link tenderly wiped away one of her tears with his other hand. She gave him a small smile before continuing. "You leapt in front of him, and you… you took the bullet," she sobbed, putting her head on his chest as she cried.

"I'm okay, doll," he assured her, even though his gut ached terribly as she lay on him. "Don't worry 'bout me."

"I'm so sorry," Tracy blubbered.

"I deserved it, I think," Link said reflectively. "I shouldn't have embarrassed you in front of all those people. Does… does your mom hate me now?" He cringed, remembering how Tracy had announced losing her virginity.

"No. No," Tracy promised. "She loves you all the more."

Link nodded, feeling sleepy all of a sudden.

"The drugs are kicking in, now," the nurse commented, entering the room and seeing Link's lids closing. "I think you should leave."

"No," Link insisted, trying to sit up again, but again not succeeding. "Let her stay. I still haven't heard everything."

The nurse sighed impatiently and left the room again.

"Okay," Tracy said, sitting next to him on the bed. "Well, you collapsed on the stage, and then the ambulance took you to a hospital. You… you were in a coma for a week," she stuttered, closing her eyes as she remembered. "Your parents wanted to see you, so we brought you back here. They cancelled the rest of the tour."

"What?!" Link gasped, sitting up now. "Why?"

Tracy laughed softly.

"What were we supposed to do – go on without our leader?"

Link smiled too. Joey, Mikey, and Fender must have said something.

"Oh my gosh," he said, smacking himself in the forehead (and instantly regretting it). "What's going on with everyone?"

"A lot has happened in a week," Tracy said softly. "Well, Tammy and Joey are going again," she told him, smiling. "But Amber isn't… with anyone." She smiled again, bigger this time. Link squeezed her hand. "Um, Brenda says she's exactly six months along now… two – thirds of the way there. And Maybelle is three months along." She looked up. "Oh, that reminds me… Lil' Inez and Jamal are going now, too!"

"Really?" Link asked, slightly surprised. "What does Seaweed think?"

"Oh, I think he's okay with it," Tracy replied, laughing. "He doesn't have a choice."

Link looked at her curiously.

"His mom smacked him when he started to argue about it."

"Ah," Link grinned. He could totally see Maybelle doing that.

"I still can't believe you're alive," Tracy sighed, feeling like she was about to start crying again. She kissed him in the forehead. "I guess I should give you your rest."

"I am pretty tired," Link admitted, suppressing a yawn. "I love you."

Tracy paused in the doorway of his hospital room and looked back.

"I love you, too, Link Larkin. Don't you ever think of scaring me like that again."

Link smiled. "You know how you said I wasn't brave?"

Tracy grimaced. Yes, she remembered.

"Well, I think you're right."

She came back to his bed, and held his hand again. "Why?"

"Oh, Trace," he said, tears running down his cheeks, "because I was scared of not waking up. Not waking up and seeing your beautiful face."

"You don't have to worry," Tracy promised, tears running down her own cheeks. "I got your clothes when they put you in your stupid gown, and well… see for yourself."

She held up her hand for him to see.

She was wearing his promise ring.

He smiled, and kissed her again.


	2. A Realization

**A/N: Sorry for the author's note, but I had to do it. I'm so so so sorry for the extended break. There has been so much going on in my life lately, and frankly, I didn't have time to write ANYTHING – let alone something worth reading. So, if you've got a problem with how long I took to write one chapter, then you don't have to read it, do you? Ha ha. Again, sorry, to my faithful, beloved, worthy-of-many-nice-adjectives readers. I love you guys. Now, on to the chapter!**

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Link gripped Tracy's forearm as he shakily stood. His wheelchair sat forlornly in the corner of the room. _Where it belongs,_ he thought, determined to leave it there.

It was two months after the _Corny Collins Show_'s first and only tour had come to a tragic end. After the show's star – Link – had lost most of his lower body movement thanks to a bullet to the abdomen, the show was temporarily cancelled. It would resume in two weeks, along with the new school year. And when it did, Link had to dance again… now matter how much grueling physical therapy it took.

Watching from the other side of the living room, Caroline Larkin squeezed her husband Bob's hand nervously. She didn't like seeing her "baby" in pain.

With a final grunt, Link released Tracy's arm. He took a tentative step, then another, continuing his wobbly journey until he reached out to his mother for a hug. He did indeed look like a baby, just learning to walk (again). The tiny blonde woman's eyes shone with tears.

"It's a miracle," she cried softly.

Dr. Larkin, Link's dad, tried to stay professional – many patients from his hospital had recovered from similar injuries – but smiled with pride and gave his son's shoulder a gentle pat. His dark eyes hinted at the sense of accomplishment he'd received, having taken part in his son's recovery.

"We're so proud of you, dear," Caroline said softly, stepping back. "Your father – and Tracy – have taken very good care of you."

"Very good care," Link agreed, smiling at his girlfriend.

Tracy smiled back, and Link realized why he loved her. He was thankful that his parents were also learning to love her. After all, how could they not?

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Amber thought fondly back to when she'd been twelve and a half. She'd been young, innocent, naïve, and deeply in love with Corny Collins.

The show had been in its infant days three and a half years ago. Corny was 25, confident, and very handsome. He was also very available.

Silly young Amber had followed him everywhere, despite her mother's repeated scoldings. Amber thought that Mommy had _liked _**her** boyfriend. Well, there was a fifteen-year difference between Mommy and Corny, and only thirteen between him and Amber – they were DEFINITELY more suitable, reasoned Amber.

Velma had given Amber some rules regarding Corny. Number one: von Tussles were _not_ supposed to "like" Corny. Number two: von Tussles were _not_ supposed to talk to Corny. Number three: von Tussles _were_ supposed to sing, dance, and look pretty, but most of all, act – act as though she hadn't and wouldn't ever know anything.

Well, times changed.

So had Amber's acceptance of her "mommy's" rules.

Amber no longer had a crush on Corny. Things had come up. Namely, puberty. Maturation. _Link_. And, some choice bits of information, previously stored deep in Velma's armoire, and now unearthed.

No longer could Amber pretend to know nothing. She had broken – shattered, really – rule number three.

And judging by the look on Velma's face (brought on by a casual remark from Amber), rule number two wouldn't last long.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Penny sat silently in the chair, clutching a bible, a kiddie sewing set, and a single flower. She was looking at… her mother.

After the tour had started, Michael had been lonely enough to devote himself to tracking down Prudy. It had taken him the whole period of Penny's absence to find her, voluntarily admitted to the nearest insane asylum.

Ashamed of her mother, Penny handed over the plastic sewing needle. Prudy was labeled by the asylum's staff "too dangerous" to be in possession of anything else.

Eagerly, Prudy snatched up her gifts, and began poking the little grey rod that posed as a needle through the thin material of her sampler. She had once sewn all of Penny's clothes – a fine seamstress, now reduced to this, while Penny had to live in quickly shrinking clothes.

"Mother, please come home," Penny said, meekly. "You don't belong here."

Prudy didn't look up, still poking furiously at the fabric. "I have everything I need right here," she said faintly.

"You know, school starts in two weeks."

"Does it?" Prudy shrugged. "Then you can come here after school, and do your homework next to me. Like you used to," she suggested.

"It's an hour's drive to get here, Mother," Penny choked, wiping at her eyes to keep the tears back. What had happened to her proud, sharp mother? She looked down to hide her face. "Dad _misses_ you."

Prudy laughed. Shortly. Bitterly.

"He sure doesn't as hell doesn't _love_ me."

Penny stood, angered.

"He loves you enough to drive us both here every single day to see you, just so he can be turned away. He wants to see you. Why else would he be working part time, when he's worked in one of the highest-paying jobs in Maryland? It's so he can do this. For you. You pathetic, selfish lowlife!"

Penny left, disgusted. She realized that her mother hadn't been so sharp at all.


	3. A Compromise

Tracy sat at the dinner table with her parents, trying to still her heart as she envisioned her first day back to school. It was only two weeks away, and drawing ever closer. Homework and lectures did not appeal to her, and neither did planning out her future.

Ever since getting home from the trip, Edna had busied herself with being THE BEST MOTHER EVER. While the show was taking a "break", she got one, too.

In short, this meant that Tracy _never_ got a break.

"Are you all ready for your senior year?"

"Can you handle the homework?"

"How is your relationship with Link?"

"Do you feel okay, hon?"

"What are your _dreams_?"

All these questions made Tracy's head spin – all day, every day, she was being interrogated. Her only escape was Link's house. They talked and worked on Link's therapy before his (also overbearing) mother came home from her daily tea. On Sundays, his dad was home, and Tracy thought it was almost pointless to go. Still, it normally relieved her of a questioning session or two.

That day, she and Link had discussed in dismay how their days of lazing around were coming to an end.

"I had school," Tracy muttered. "I hate _work_."

"_This_ is work," Link replied, doing a leg exercise. He, personally, breezed through school. He wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, but he got decent grades – thanks in part to his good looks and influential parents.

"At least the show will be back on soon," Tracy said, to console herself.

"I can't wait," Link agreed.

They flopped onto the couch and shared a light kiss before Tracy got up to leave. It was almost dinner time.

"Don't worry, doll, it won't be long," Link had promised.

Now, here she was, worrying for that very reason. Why did school and the show have to start the same day?

A good, a bad. A compromise. It would have to do.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Corny was sitting in his office, cheerfully humming the show's theme song and doing some paperwork, when there was a knock on the door. It obviously wasn't Maybelle – she was still feeling sick. So who was it?

"Come in!"

His face hardened when he looked up to greet his visitor. It was Velma.

"What do you want, Velma?" he snapped, returning to his papers. "I already gave your job to somebody else."

"I have a new job now, Corny," Velma said coolly, sitting down.

"Then why are you here?"

Velma tapped her foot impatiently.

"I'm not here to fight. I just found some documents that I believe you would be interested in seeing. I thought you might want to keep them."

She placed a fat folder delicately in front of him, but he shoved it aside.

"If you don't mind, I have some things to do right now," he snarled, standing. "And I think it's time for you to leave."

"All right," Velma said airily, reaching for the folder. "We can discuss it later."

Corny kept his hand on the folder.

"Fine. Talk," he relented. "But this better be important."

"Oh, believe me – it is."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Seaweed sulked.

He was sitting at the most miserable table in Baltimore. It was occupied by Penny, who was fretting over her mother; Inez, who was fretting over her recent breakup with Jamal; Maybelle, who was fretting about the baby; and him, who was fretting about his wallet and, being the only gentleman, having to pay for all those dinners. It seemed, though, like everyone but him was too sick and/or worried to eat.

"Man, why'd I bring y'all here, anyway?" he whined eventually, after watching his mother ask the waiter for "five more minutes" four times.

"Aww, I'm sorry, baby," Maybelle said. "I just want something different each time the waiter comes by.

Seaweed sighed and immediately felt guilty.

"Have you decided _yet_?" the waiter asked, returning, through a clearly strained smile.

"Um, yeah," Seaweed said, handing over the menus. "We'll have one 'Super Sampler', please."

The waiter smiled, genuinely.

"What a brilliant idea, sir."


	4. A Deep Conversation

"Read the documents. Then you can ask questions," Velma commanded.

"Okay…"

Corny began flipping casually through the documents, but soon slowed to get a better look. He squinted at the titles and tiny print.

"Birth certificates? Baby pictures? What does all this mean, Velma?"

"I, ah…"

Corny didn't think he had ever seen Velma look so flustered. He stared at her in silence for a moment, enjoying her pain.

"I made a mistake," she managed.

"Coming here?" Corny snorted, placing the papers back in the folder and putting them back down on his desk. "You got that right. Now, don't make another one."

He rose again to shoo her out.

"I'm not finished, Corny," Velma growled, staying firmly seated. "And coming here is not the mistake I'm talking about."

Corny hesitated before settling back into his chair. He was quiet again.

"When do you celebrate your birthday, Corny?"

"What?" He cocked his head. "Oh. Why; were you gonna throw me a party?"

Velma looked at him stonily.

"All right, all right. August 26th."

"What's today?"

"It's August… uh… twelfth."

"Two weeks away? That sounds right," Velma mused.

"Why are you _here_, Velma?"

She sighed, still looking deeply unsettled. She crossed her legs and uncrossed them, and leaned forward, her eyes dulled with discomfort.

"You think I am here because I want to be?" she asked, her teeth clenched. "All that's here for me is humiliation and thanklessness. Especially from you." She threw her hands up in the air in frustration. "Especially," she added, with a bitter laugh, "considering all the things I've done for you!"

Corny joined in the laughter.

"Yeah? And what's that?"

Velma closed her eyes, pained.

"Endured embarrassment. Pain. Anguish, even."

He raised an eyebrow.

"You want the truth?" Velma asked.

"Yeah, that'd be nice."

She took a deep breath and looked him straight in the eye, though her confidence was wavering.

"You were put up for adoption as a baby, Corny. By me. _I'm your mother_."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Tracy? Will you come downstairs for a minute, hon?"

"Sure, Ma."

Tracy lumbered down the stairs with a sigh. She had a pretty good idea of what she was about to hear.

Sullenly, she sat down at the kitchen table near where her mother stood. Edna looked at her seriously, holding a knife leftover from the tomatoes she had been busily chopping the minute before.

"Geez, Ma, what'd I do?" Tracy joked nervously, eyeing the knife.

"Oh. Sorry, hon," Edna apologized, putting it down. She sat down next to Tracy and put her hand over hers.

"Have you been feeling okay?"

Tracy suppressed a groan. _More questions._

"Yeah, Ma. Just nervous about school."

"Oh. Okay, hon."

She didn't seem totally satisfied, but she withdrew her hand. She hesitantly got up, and Tracy followed suit.

"I'm going to Link's house now, Ma."

Edna allowed herself a brisk nod before turning back to her tomatoes.

"Okay, hon. Take care of yourself," she said softly, trying not to choke up.

Tracy groaned – "I will" – and left.

Edna looked upon the tomatoes sadly, feeling suddenly alone and very unaccomplished. She sighed after her daughter, "Don't grow up too much while you're gone."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Penny and Seaweed sat at home, watching TV together. Michael was off working, Prudy was still in the asylum (much to everyone's embarrassment), and it was a nice bit of down-time for the two of them.

Snuggled on the couch with Seaweed, Penny basked in the warmth he gave off. She wondered briefly what life would be like without having his strong arms around her. Probably not good.

He stirred, stretching his legs, and looked down at her. She smiled.

"You hungry?" she mumbed.

"A little."

"Okay."

She squeezed around him to get up, and started banging around in the pantry for something for them to eat. Time seemed to be moving rather slowly.

"Penny?" Seaweed called.

"Yeah?"

She poked her head out to see him.

"C'mere," he said, motioning her over.

Happily obliging, she flounced back over in front of the television set and smiled at him. He stared at her blankly for a moment, and she frowned.

"What?"

He laughed softly, and standing, pulled her close.

"You just look so beautiful."

"Really?" she asked, her eyes shining.

"Really," he grinned, giving her a sound kiss.

"You're not so bad yourself," she whispered coyly.

He kissed her again.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Brenda sat, quiet, alone, in her room, having a conversation with herself and recording her thoughts in a red velvet diary. She had not wanted to go home. But what else was she supposed to do?

Her hasty decision to run away had been rash, at best. Obviously, the tour wouldn't last forever; she should have thought about this, everyone scolded. _If I had been thinking, I wouldn't have run away at all. _She ran her hand over her bulging belly, and choked back the tears that were threatening to fall. _I wouldn't be like _this.

Angry at herself, she pounded her fist into the thick comforter she was sitting on. She closed her diary, set it on her nightstand, and let the silent tears fall.

What had happened to her life? Maybe, she hadn't had one, after all. She watched the kids playing out in the street: reckless, carefree. Like she had once been. They would be going back to school soon. She wouldn't be going with them.

She wept openly, now, recalling her parents' (very different) reactions to her homecoming. Her mother had cried, hugged her, and told her she had missed her; then moved aside – for Brenda's father. _He_ slapped her, swore at her. Then Brenda's mother had cried even harder.

Nobody understood.

Maybe that was because nobody knew: knew that no man had ever loved her, so she turned to anyone available for affection. When she was little, she had lied to herself, telling herself that Daddy _did_ love her. Now she knew that wasn't true, and lied instead that she boys she was with loved her. Brenda was good at lying.

One thing she didn't have to fake was her love for John. Oh, John. She loved him so much that the first and only time that they'd, well, _been _together, she forgot to use protection. It was his first time – he didn't have any. She just caught up in the moment, and forgot. She couldn't have even imagined the consequences. And, while John didn't even think the baby was his (it was), he had promised to take care of it.

Brenda suddenly felt a new burst of love for her unborn baby. It was a reminder of her love for John, and of his love for her.

A last few tears streamed down her cheeks. She hurriedly wiped them away with the back of her hand and kissed her hand, pressing it to her tummy. "I love you, and I always will," she said.

And this time, she wasn't lying.


	5. An Explanation

"What?" Corny spluttered, weakly falling back into his chair.

Velma, too, looked exhausted, as if her confession had taken the rest of her energy clear out of her.

"How is that possible?" he murmured, putting his face in his hands.

"I made a mistake," Velma repeated faintly, closing her eyes. "When I was fifteen. What did you expect me to do?"

"I-I don't know," Corny said.

"I couldn't have raised you, anyway," Velma said to herself, trying to convince herself of this more than anything else. She looked down, half in shame and half in remembrance. What would her life have been like with Corny in it?

"I wouldn't have named you Corny," she told him, softly. "I called you Robert."

Corny was silent for a moment.

"Does Amber know?" he asked finally.

Velma nodded.

"No one else can," he demanded, his head reeling.

She nodded again. "It would hurt me more than you."

"Would it?"

"Does this change things between us?" Velma finally asked, her eyes pleading with him.

He looked at her with a cold stare.

"No, Velma. No it doesn't."

"All right."

Then she stood, and was gone.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I don't like it, Wilbur. I don't like it one bit."

"What?"

Wilbur poked his head out from under the counter of the Hardy-Har Hut. His eyes were frantic. He had been searching for a rather expensive deck of fake cards that a customer had asked for the other day, and was supposed to be picking up this afternoon.

"This is important," Edna told him.

He eyed her impatiently.

"Tracy went over to Link's house. Again."

"…So?"

"She goes over there every single day, Wilbur. Is that normal?"

Wilbur sighed.

"I'm sure it is."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

Edna sighed, too.

"She hasn't been talking to me lately, Wilbur. That _can't_ be normal."

"She's a teenage girl, Edna."

"But she's _our_ teenage girl."

"I'm sure there's nothing to worry about."

"How do you know?!"

"Just give her time. She'll probably talk to you when she's ready."

"_Probably_?"

"Well, babe, what do you want me to say?"

Edna huffed and turned around.

"Don't tell me that you weren't like her when you were her age," Wilbur added, looking back at her.

"I wasn't," Edna insisted.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

He shrugged.

"Do you know what I remember?"

She struggled with herself not to glare at her husband.

"What?"

"I remember your daddy being very angry with me one night because I brought you home late. And I remember him wanting to know everything, and you walking straight past him up to your room." He chuckled a little, recalling this.

"You're comparing me to my father?"

Wilbur nodded, and Edna made a face.

"She's a young lady, Edna. Let her do what she wants. I think she can take care of herself. And Link's a good kid."

Edna looked down, realizing that he was right.

"Okay, Wilbur. Good luck with those cards."

He smiled. "Thanks, babe."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Why did you do it, Mother?"

Prudy looked up blankly at her daughter.

Frustrated, Penny touched her mother's arm to bring her back to attention. "I want to know why you left us. For this," she added pointedly.

"Because it was too hard to deal with."

It had been a week, at least, since Penny had been able to face her mother. She had been too angry; and too ashamed with herself for yelling at her. But now, she was ready to forgive her. After all, her mother was mentally unstable enough to commit herself to an insane asylum; she might not be able to handle rejection at the moment. Right now, she was struggling to keep her temper while finding some answers.

"What was hard to deal with?"

"Having your father come home."

"Why?"

"Oh, I don't know," Prudy snapped.

Penny sucked in her breath sharply.

"We had been fine without him. You didn't need him back in your life."

"I'm fine with him, Mother. I think you're the one with the problem."

"Penny Lou Pingleton," she scolded, enraged by her daughter's audacity.

"I'm sorry, Mother," Penny said quickly, (though she wasn't).

"I just needed a way to escape from everything," Prudy replied simply, not willing to tell her daughter the whole story just yet. She really had nothing to lose (her daughter's respect for her had pretty much dissolved, and her reputation was now out the window), but something within her held her back.

"Is that all?" her daughter pressed.

"No," Prudy admitted.

"Did he do something wrong, Mother?"

"Yes."

"That's not what he told me."

"He lies, Penny," Prudy whispered.

Penny sat up in shock (and partially in curiosity).

"Everything was supposed to turn out all right with us," she continued, beginning to rock back and forth in her chair, looking anxious.

Penny pushed herself out of her chair nervously. What was happening.

"Shh, shh," she said to her mother, backing up to the door all the while.

"Everything went wrong. Everything, everything," Prudy said, starting to rock furiously. She pulled her knees up to her chin, closed her eyes, and kept repeating herself.

Running out of the room, Penny called out for help.

"I need a nurse!" she cried.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So many things had changed in Link's life since May fifth. That day was the day of the high school dance that he had sang out; the day that Corny had first noticed Tracy, and first wanted her on the show. It was the day that Tracy had really come into Link's life. And a month and a week later, was June twelfth. The day of the Miss Hairspray pageant. The day of their first kiss, and the beginning of their love.

Today was August twelfth. They had now, officially, been going for exactly one month. He still hadn't been able to tell her exactly how he made her feel, but he was sure he would be able to tonight.

He was seated next to her at a cozy little booth at a restaurant in downtown Baltimore, and gave her a small smile while he fingered a little box in his pocket. It held a promise ring.

Some things, he knew, didn't have to be said to be felt.

Some things just couldn't be explained.

And love was one of things.


	6. An Escape Plan

"How'd it go, Mother?" Amber wanted to know, smirking.

Velma collapsed onto her bed, physically exhausted after her encounter with Corny.

"Glad you got it over with?" Amber asked gently, feeling slightly sorry for Velma now. She'd done some stupid things when she was younger, and now she had to deal with them. Oh well, it wasn't her problem. She got up, wanting to get the details of the conversation but deciding to leave her poor mother alone until she had the energy to recount the tale.

"You're not going to talk to anyone about this, Amber," Velma said, sitting up suddenly. "Do you understand me?"

"Yes, Mother," Amber said soberly.

Velma looked at her daughter sternly.

"I'm serious. You know that this would ruin us if it got out."

"Then why did you tell him?"

"I had to deal with it sometime!"

Amber bit her lip, wanting so badly to tell her mother what she thought of her. She was tired of living in her shadow; just wanted to get out. Wanted to escape.

Her whole life, Amber had been forced into being perfect. Her mother had told her that she had been, and that, as her daughter, it was her _duty_ to follow in Velma's footsteps. But now she was fed up, especially since she knew that Velma hadn't even ever been perfect.

She really wanted to talk to her mother, to say anything at all.

She walked out of her mother's room, to let her get her "beauty rest," and looked out the window of the hallway. The sun was shining outside, bright and happy.

Standing in her yellow dress, Amber twirled, a tribute to the giant star. How she wished she could fly away to it.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Knowing that she would not be able to go back to school, Brenda was standing in her closet for the second time this summer. She felt stronger now than she had the first time, and she kept her brave face. She was not crying. She told herself not to.

Her suitcase lay open on her bed, and her door was closed. Her mother would probably come in and start crying. But still, Brenda would not cry herself.

Her father was at work today, as he always was. Brenda was happy about this. She did not want to say good-bye to him. He didn't deserve it.

Neatly folding her clothes into piles on her bed, she stacked them into the suitcase. Some piles were taller than others. She stood naked, there in her room, with the shades drawn. She ran her hands down her entire body, smiling wickedly at the sharp coldness of her hands on bare flesh. The pain it brought made her feel strong.

She pulled on the prettiest dress she could wear – it was thin white cotton with a tiny blue bow that sat atop her bulge. She twirled, feeling like a princess.

The suitcase now full, Brenda gently placed her red velvet-bound diary on top of her clothes, along with a fancy pen, closed the suitcase, and struggled to pull it off her bed. Pain ran down her back, and she winced.

She dragged it down the stairs and went into the kitchen. She cleared her throat to get her mom's attention.

"Mama, I'm going now," she whispered, her voice cracking.

Brenda's mother looked up in alarm, her hands hovering over the bowl of salad she had been preparing. Her lip quivered for a moment, before she hurried to Brenda to give her a strong hug. Tears ran down her face, and Brenda closed her eyes tightly to keep her own tears from coming.

"I love you, darling," she said softly, touching Brenda's belly quickly. "Be… be careful."

Brenda gave her a brave smile and nodded.

"I love you too, Mama. And you be careful too."

"My Brenda. Always thinking of others."

They gave each other another hug.

"I have to go," she repeated.

"Okay," said Brenda's mother, finally.

She nodded, and let go, dragging the suitcase as she left her house, letting go of everything else she knew at the same time.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Crying softly in her room, Penny was clutching a picture of her mother, wanting badly to rip it into little tiny shreds.

After her mother had started having a nervous breakdown, Penny had ran. And run. And run. She almost hadn't noticed her father following her in his car, and had wondered if she could just run all the way home.

Her father had been smart enough not to say anything on the long ride home. Penny was glad to be alone in the silence.

She hadn't started crying, exactly, till she had gotten home and sat in her room, where she could see how her mother had decorated it when she was little. Then she remembered the many times she had been tied to the bed, and her tears were angry tears. She hated Prudy so badly. But she knew as soon as she tore up the picture, she would feel guilty again, so she just held it, and wanted to rock back and forth herself.

It was hard to say what had happened to her mother, other than that she had pretty much gone crazy. That bothered Penny. But it bothered her more that she seemed so normal, at times.

What was it about Michael that had triggered all this to happen? Certainly, something bad.

Penny looked up, sniffling, at a shuddering sound that rocked her window.

Seaweed!

For a moment, she thought that he was dressed in shining silver armor. When she realized that she wasn't, she had to laugh at herself as she got up to go open the window for him.

He half jumped, half fell through, and though it wasn't the most graceful movement, Penny found it romantic.

"My prince Charming," she sighed.

"Sure, we'll go with that," Seaweed said, giving her a hug. "Oh, baby, I'm so sorry."

She had called Tracy right after she had arrived home, and she guessed that Tracy had somehow told Seaweed. Either way, he was here, and she immediately felt better. She let herself fall limply into his arms.

"It's okay," she sniffed, wanting him to hold her forever. "Thanks for coming."

"I had to," Seaweed insisted.

"What would I do without you?"

"I don't know," Seaweed joked.

"Neither do I," Penny said, seriously.

"Seaweed, what is she doing? What am _I _doing?"

Seaweed sat down on her bed. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm not sure," she said softly.

"Don't think too hard," Seaweed joked. "Might hurt yourself."

"I might," Penny cried. "Oh, gosh, Seaweed, what if I'm about to have a nervous breakdown, too?"

"Hush, baby. Not if I have anything to say about it."

Penny sniffled. "Okay."

He held her close, rocking her back and forth. And it was soothing, actually. Sitting with him, she could escape.


	7. An Arrival

Tracy and Link were walking hand-in-hand with each other, talking quietly about Tracy's new promise ring, when they saw the door to Brenda's house opening. They looked at each other, and then over at Brenda.

"I'll go get her attention," Tracy said quickly. "Go get the car."

Link nodded and darted off to get his car.

"Brenda!" Tracy called, running across the street. "That's a pretty heavy suitcase you got there."

Nodding, Brenda looked down. "I'm going to stay somewhere else for a while, you know?"

It was Tracy's turn to nod.

"Well, hey, Link and I could give you a ride, if you want. He's got his car…"

"That sounds nice. Thanks," Brenda said softly, trying to hold her head high as she swallowed hard. She watched Link's car approach.

"Hey, Brenda," he said, hopping out and stuffing her suitcase into the trunk. "Howzit going?"

"Good," she said shortly. "Thanks for the ride, Link."

"No problem," he said quickly. "Jump in."

"You can take the passenger seat," Tracy added.

Brenda gave her a small smile, grateful.

"Where we headed?" Link asked, starting his car again.

"Oh, um, John's house, I guess."

"Yeah?"

"Yes."

"Okay, then."

He steered his car towards John's neighborhood, his face registering his surprise at Brenda's brisk attitude. He looked back briefly at Tracy, and she gave a slight shrug – she didn't know either.

"Brenda, my house is over this way, if you want to get something to eat," he offered kindly.

"All right. I am pretty hungry," Brenda admitted.

"Link's ma makes the best sandwiches," Tracy quipped from the back.

"I bet," Brenda said, with a small smile.

"We're here," Link announced loudly, stopping the car. "Do you want me to get your suitcase, Brenda, or should I leave it?"

"I'll get it," Brenda said quickly.

"Okay," Link replied, though unsure.

Heaving the suitcase out of the trunk, she let out a cry.

"… It's heavy," she said, wincing.

"I'll take it," Link insisted, grabbing for the suitcase.

"I'm _fine_, thanks," Brenda snapped, setting it down and taking a deep breath.

"Really? You don't look so good," Tracy murmured.

Link shot her a look.

He opened the door to his house, and let the ladies in. "I'm home, Ma!" he called out, looking around.

"Oh, hello, darling," his mother beamed.

"Is Dad home yet?" Link asked.

"Yes sir," Caroline answered. "Write over there in his office." She looked over at Brenda, a smile plastered on her face as she tried to avoid looking at Brenda's gigantic belly. "So, who's this, Link?"

"This is Brenda. From Corny's show," he replied, giving her a sharp warning look.

"Oh, yes, I remember," she said quaintly. "How nice to see you again, Brenda. How are you, dear?"

"I'm doing all right, thank you," Brenda replied, with a fake smile of her own.

"Bob!" Caroline called. "Come introduce yourself!"

Dr. Larkin looked up from his paperwork, appearing disturbed, but shook it off and went over to say hello. "Oh, yes, I remember you. Brenda, right?" He kissed her hand, and she blushed. "You look like you're about to pop, my dear. When are you due?"

Brenda blushed again before remembering that he was a doctor.

"Sometime in early September," she told him, smoothing down her gown and feeling suddenly self-conscious.

"Really? You look late," he mused, eyeing her.

"Not that I know of," Brenda said quickly. "I'm a little over eight months right now."

"Well, have a seat, children," Caroline said. "I'll have your lunch ready in a moment or two."

"Sounds great. Thanks, Mrs. Larkin," Tracy smiled.

The teenagers arranged themselves on the couch in the living room, and Brenda touched her stomach briefly, looking down.

"Hungry, Brenda?" Tracy asked.

Brenda closed her eyes, not answering.

Link brushed her arm. "Brenda?"

"Oh," she said, startled. "Sorry. Yes."

Suspicious, Tracy turned towards the tray of lemonade glasses that Mrs. Larkin was placing on the coffee table, taking a gulp of one.

"This is delicious lemonade. You should try some."

"Oh, thank you, Tracy," Caroline smiled, hurrying off to get the sandwiches.

Link bolted down his glass, and Brenda took delicate sips of hers.

Feeling like she was at a tea party, Tracy shifted herself and tried of something interesting to say. She didn't like how quiet the room was becoming. Only the occasional _taps_ from Dr. Larkin's typewriter filled the silence.

When she couldn't think of anything to say, she looked over at Link. He was busy eating a sandwich. She looked at Brenda, whose eyes were closed again.

"Brenda," she said.

Brenda's eyes opened immediately.

"What?" she asked, looking pained.

"Are you all right?"

"I'm—" Brenda grimaced suddenly, clutching her stomach. The glass of lemonade she had been holding fell to the ground, and shattered on the tile floor. She took a deep breath and looked at Tracy, her eyes wide. "I'm going into labor, Tracy."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"What was that noise, Link?" Dr. and Mrs. Larkin both asked, rushing into the living room. Neither had heard Brenda.

"Mom, Dad," Link said, deathly pale, "Brenda's about to have her baby."

"I knew she was late!" Dr. Larkin said.

"I'm not, really," Brenda whimpered, sweat breaking out on her forehead already. "Please, please, Dr. Larkin, help me. It hurts."

"Well, dear, I'm sorry, but I can't fix that. Right now, we're going to have to get you to the hospital."

As Brenda cried out again, Caroline looked at her husband.

"I'm not sure, Bob. Her contractions look too close together. This baby is coming. Soon."

"Oh, God," Brenda cried, frightened, "what am I going to do?"

"I'm calling John," Tracy decided, running for the kitchen. "He should be here."

"Mama," Brenda gasped.

"And her too," Caroline promised. "I'll go get her, darling. Just stay calm. I've been through this, too, and I'm alive right here in front of you." She gave Brenda a reassuring smile and squeezed her hand. "You'll be okay."

"It hurts," Brenda bleated.

Caroline went to go get Brenda's mother, and Link was eager to get out of the house and go get John. Tracy stood by the couch, were Brenda was now laying down. She was crying and sweating, obviously wracked with pain.

"Has your water broken yet, Brenda?"

Brenda, gasping for breath, nodded. "A… a few hours ago."

"So you didn't go to the hospital?" Tracy asked, incredulous.

"I-I…" was all Brenda could say.

"I'm sorry. I won't talk anymore," Tracy said quickly. "Don't hurt yourself."

There was a screech outside, and John and Link burst in the door.

"I'm here, doll," John announced, rushing to Brenda's side. He knelt beside her and took her hand, giving her a gentle kiss. She tried to smile for him. "You'll be okay. Promise."

"I will now," Brenda replied.

"Mom back yet?" Link asked his father.

"Nope."

"Oh, God!" Brenda shrieked, grasping her boyfriend's hand with an iron grip. "It hurts it hurts it hurts."

Link turned away, feeling as though he was about to pass out.

Dr. Larkin leaned down to inspect Brenda, and nodded, satisfied. "Okay Brenda, we're ready to go if you are. Are you ready?"

Biting her lip, Brenda nodded.

"I'm here, baby!" Brenda's mother cried, coming to the foot of the couch.

"Mama," Brenda sighed, looking relieved.

"Brenda, push," Dr. Larkin reminded her.

"I AM!" Brenda screamed.

"She's hurting," her mother said nervously, looking down at her daughter. "Is she going to be okay?"

"She'll be fine, ma'am," Dr. Larkin said impatiently. "I'm a doctor."

"Oh, thank God," John muttered.

Brenda howled in pain, and her face contorted. Dr. Larkin knelt down next to her, his hands ready.

"One more push, Brenda," he begged.

Straining with all her might, Brenda did as asked, and a tiny baby slipped into Dr. Larkin's hands. Everyone in the room cheered. Link leaned heavily on Tracy, feeling weak himself. John kissed Brenda's forehead, wiping some of the sweat away with a cloth, and her mother stroked her head. Mrs. Larkin smiled, looking at the baby. "It's a boy," Dr. Larkin grinned.

Suddenly, Brenda was doubled over in pain again.

"What's going on?" John cried out.

"She's pushing out the placenta," Mrs. Larkin said. "Don't worry."

"No, honey," Dr. Larkin said quickly. "There's… there's another baby coming."

"What?!" John gasped.

"John!" Brenda whimpered. "I… can't… do it."

"Brenda, push," Dr. Larkin demanded. "This baby is coming, whether you like it or not."

Crying and sweating, Brenda squeezed John's hand again.

"You can do it, Brenda. Almost there," Tracy encouraged her.

Mrs. Larkin was holding the first baby, rocking him back and forth as he cried. She watched Brenda's forehead pucker – she wasn't even listening to her baby cry. She looked with pity at the girl, hoping it would be over soon, for her sake and the babies'.

"Come on, girl," Dr. Larkin said sternly. "I said push."

Groaning, Brenda shuddered in pain for the last time. She fell back against the couch as Dr. Larkin held up her second baby.

"Another boy. Congratulations," he said, beaming.

Still gasping, Brenda smiled too.

"Have you decided on names yet, dear?" Caroline prodded.

Tracy looked at her in interest.

After a moment, Brenda looked up, now cradling both the babies as they nursed for the fist time. "John, and Robert," she smiled.

"How lovely," her mother cooed.

"This is the happiest day of my life," John said, kissing Brenda.

She smiled.

"Mine too." She looked up at him, holding out her firstborn. "Would you like to hold your son, John?"

The look of surprise left his face as quickly as it had entered.

"I would love to, doll."


	8. A Return

"Honey, I'm home!"

Maybelle looked up eagerly from the stove. She was making dinner. She walked to the door, and gave her new husband a sound kiss. Most women thought little of those words, but they were like a song to her.

"How was your day, baby?" she asked Corny, as he sat down to untie his shoes.

"It was all right," he said quietly.

"Oh? Do tell," she replied, raising her eyebrows.

"Velma came to talk to me," he admitted. "She had some interesting things to tell me."

"Like?"

Corny hesitated. He didn't really want to tell her, but he couldn't keep anything from his wife.

"She brought over some papers she wanted me to see. Turns out she found out that I got adopted."

"I knew that," Maybelle snorted.

He wondered if he could leave it that, but decided not to.

"Well, there's more," he sighed. "Turns out that she's the one that put me up for adoption."

Maybelle gasped.

"Wait. That means…"

"Don't say it," Corny groaned. "I know, I know."

"Wow," Maybelle said finally.

"That's what I said, too."

"That explains so much," Maybelle teased.

"Oh, please, don't even insult me by comparing me to her," Corny moaned.

"I'm sorry, baby. I just think it's funny that you two are even related. I-"

"I said don't say it!" Corny cried.

"All right, all right," Maybelle grumped. "You know I love you."

"Of course, my dear. I never forget."

"Good," Maybelle said, giving him another kiss. "But in case you do, I've got a nice little reminder right here."

"That's right," Corny grinned, eyeing her ring.

She smiled at him.

"I meant this, silly."

She patted her stomach.

"That too," Corny grinned. "I think it's gonna be a boy."

"Really? I think it feels like a girl."

"Well, you'd know better than I would."

"Oh, that reminds me." She looked down at a piece of paper that Seaweed had given her. "Seaweed talked to Penny, who talked to Tracy. He said that she said that Brenda had two baby boys today."

"Two?" Corny cried, his mind reeling.

"What?" Maybelle asked, giving him a playful shove. "We could handle it."

"I don't know about that," he countered.

"Well, I'll be happy with _one_ happy baby," Maybelle agreed. "The good Lord knows we'll already have our hands full."

"That's for sure," Corny sighed, thinking of all that he would have to do between the show, finding a new co-host while Maybelle was on maternity leave, and taking care of three children.

"Well, I'm glad you're home, baby," Maybelle said finally, heaving herself up from the couch. "Go tell Seaweed and Inez that dinner will be ready in a few minutes."

"All right," Corny said. "And, it's good to be home."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Ma!" Tracy cried, coming through the doorway. "I'm home!"

Edna rushed to greet her daughter. She had been sitting at home, doing nothing all day, just waiting for her to get home. "Hi, hon. How was your day?"

"You won't believe it, Ma," Tracy gushed, sitting down on the couch next to Edna. "Me and Link were walking, talking about last night – he gave me a promise ring; you saw it, didn't you? – and we saw Brenda, running away, so we took her to Link's house, and then she went into labor, and had TWO baby boys!" She looked up at her mother excitedly, breathless from the retelling.

"Wow, hon, that's amazing," Edna said, also breathless, and beaming that her daughter had told her all of this. It seemed like it had been days since Tracy had talked to her at all.

"Isn't it?" Tracy grinned.

"I'm so happy," Edna said, grabbing Tracy up in a hug.

For once, Tracy didn't resist.

"About what, Ma?"

"Just… that you're home, hon. You're _back_," she sighed.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Determined to make things right, Penny hopped out of her father's car, parked in front of her mother's room. She checked in with the nurses before making her way into her mom's hallway. She took a deep breath and went into the room.

"Mother, I'm here to see you," she said gruffly.

"Penny, what took you so long to come back?" her mother snapped.

"It's only been one day, Mother," Penny said back, just as sharply. "And I had some thinking to do."

"You can think just as well here."

"Not with you whining and scolding me," Penny replied evenly.

"If you don't want to be here, then just leave," Prudy growled.

"You think I'm here for you?" Penny asked incredulously, almost ready to laugh. "I'm here to bring you home and get your life straight, so the rest of us don't have to deal with you."

"You can't talk to me like that, young lady," Prudy snarled.

"I think I'm the one in charge here," Penny answered snippily. "Now come on; we're going home. The nurses said it was okay, if someone else was around to take care of you."

"I'm NOT going home."

"If you don't come home, I'm not coming to visit you," Penny insisted. "You've ruined my life enough already."

"You think that _you've_ ruined _my_ life?" Prudy laughed. "Oh, please. Do you even know what I've done for you?" she paused, realizing that she wasn't going to get an answer. "I don't _want_ you to come back. I don't want you in my _life_!"

"Fine," Penny said, turning to leave the room. "Good-bye, Mother. For good."

She strode out of the room, holding her head high even as tears started to run down her cheeks.

"Penny?"

She refused to look back, even as her mother called her name, again and again.

"Penny, come back. I'm… I'm sorry. For everything."

She stopped, but did not turn around.

"No. You're not."

And then she left, for good. Her mother was no longer part of her life.

_She was free._

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Mama, I'm coming home," Brenda decided, as she lay in a hospital bed. She had been taken there, just in case, for the next few days. "As soon as they let me out. I don't care what Dad says. I need to be there for you."

"Oh, honey. Don't do that," came the shaky reply. "Please don't do that."

"What?"

"Don't… don't talk about your father like that."

"Mama," Brenda scolded. "We both know what he's like."

"He doesn't hit me. That hard."

"Yes, Mama… he does. You can stay here with me tonight."

"No, I need to go home and make dinner for him."

Brenda started to cry.

"Mama, don't let him hurt you."

"Honey…"

"Stop it!" Brenda cried. "Be strong."

"Be strong," her mother repeated, softly. "Strong."

They squeezed each other's hands.

"I'll be back tomorrow, Brenda."

"I love you, Mama."

"Good job, today, honey. I'm proud of you."

Brenda looked small and weak against the pile of pillows, but strength radiated from her.

"I'm proud of you too, Mama."


	9. A Resolution

The music was loud, the room was dark, and there were so many people there that Tracy couldn't even recognize anybody. All she knew was that she was happy, and she was having more fun than she had almost ever had before.

She was pressed up close to Link – not by her desire, just because the room was so crowded – and they were slow-dancing together. He smiled down at her, and gave her a gentle kiss on her forehead. So, why was everybody partying? They were celebrating the restart of the _Corny Collins Show._

It seemed like everybody who had been on, been in the audience of, or even _watched_ the show was there that day. There was free food, music, and shelter from the scalding August heat outside.

"I'm going to go get some punch!" she said to Link. She had to pretty much scream it to get Link's attention.

"I'll go with," he yelled back.

She pulled him through the mobs of people and they got to the food table. It was laid out with any imaginable foodstuff, mostly provided by Maybelle and Edna. Edna was serving things, and stopped to say hi to Tracy while handing out cookies.

"What do you think, hon?!" she asked loudly.

"It's really fun!" she shouted.

"This food is good! Try some!"

"Later!" she promised. "I'll be back!"

"All right, hon!"

Laughing at the fact that they'd just had a shouting match, Tracy grabbed her punch and went off to go find Penny and Seaweed. They were dancing on stage with Inez, so she and Link jumped up and joined them. There were immediately screams of approval.

"I guess they want me to sing," Link said, winking at Tracy. "Or maybe us?"

"I'll talk to you later!" Tracy called to her friends, as Link pulled her up to the microphone stand.

"What should we sing, guys?" he shouted to the crowd.

There were so many responses, that he couldn't even distinguish one. So, Tracy decided that they could sing "You Can't Stop the Beat."

Everyone in the crowd started jumping and swaying as soon as the strains of the music began to pump through the speakers in the studio. The cameras that were broadcasting the giant party swiveled to catch Tracy and Link beginning to sing.

Soon, everyone from the council was also up on stage, singing and dancing along. They were having so much fun, that Tracy was almost disappointed when the song was over, even though her lungs were screaming in pain.

"That was great!" Link praised her, giving her a kiss.

"Hey, whaddya say we do a reenactment?" Tracy asked.

"What?" Link started to say, but Tracy had already begun to make out with him.

When they broke free, breathless, they smiled and waved to the crowd before hopping off stage.

"That was so much fun!" Penny cried, following them.

"'Afro-tastic,'" Seaweed laughed in agreement, quoting Tracy.

"Oh, hey guys!" Tracy said. "Let's go someplace… quieter!"  
Everyone nodded and followed her to a little hallway backstage where they could talk.

"So, is everybody ready to go back to school?" Penny asked. "I'm so excited!"

Tracy rolled her eyes. "Well, I know you are, but I think you're the only one here that is. I'd rather just stay here and party!"

"Well, we have to go back to school sometime," Link said.

"You just miss your buddies, cracker boy," Seaweed chuckled, giving Link's arm a playful punch. "And having all those girls around."

"Hey!" Tracy mock-yelled, giving Link her own punch.

"I'm just kiddin'," Seaweed laughed. "I love ya, brother."

"Thanks, man," Link grinned.

Tracy leaned against the wall, holding Link's hand. She looked up at him and smiled.

"You guys are such a cute couple," Penny cooed.

"Well, isn't that the pot calling the kettle black!" Tracy replied.

"Don't be racist now," Seaweed joked.

"Oh, stop it!" Penny scolded him. "If your mother were around, she'd…"

"…probably be wantin' some food," Seaweed said, finishing the sentence for her and laughing. "I know, I know. I'm just in such a good mood, I can't help but make jokes."

"I feel it too," Tracy agreed. "I don't want today to ever end."

"I know that you're worried about school, Trace, but this year's gonna be better than ever," Link promised.

"Yeah," Seaweed said. "We'll be seniors, baby!"

Tracy couldn't help but smile, even though she was worried. It would be fun to be "top dog" at their school. The seniors got to have lots of fun things that the underclassmen didn't.

"I can't wait," Penny said, leaning against her boyfriend. "This year is going to be so much different than last year."

"Why do you say that?" Seaweed asked.

"Well, my mom is out of my life, and you're in."

"Sounds like a good switch to me," Seaweed grinned.

"Oh, believe me – it is."

"Don't you ever miss your mom?" Link asked.

"Did you ever talk to her mom?" Tracy scolded him.

"No…"

"That's what I thought," she said, starting to laugh.

"Well, nice conversation, guys. Let's get back out there and dance!"

"Sounds good."

The group all ran out onto the dance floor, feeling even more energized than before, and ready to show what they had. Some of the council members on stage were doing a sort of recap of the year – in dances, of course; showing all of the dances they had done during the past months.

"Look at that, Link! You should get back up there," Tracy prodded him.

"I don't know, Tracy," he said. "I mean, it's pretty crowded up there. I think I'll just stay and hang out with you down here."

"All right," Tracy replied, happy with his decision.

Penny twirled by, looking shocked but grinning. Seaweed ran after her.

Corny came up to the couple, beaming and wearing his nicest suit.

"Hey, you two. I wanted to talk to you about something!" he yelled.

"Let's go over there!" Link said, pointing back to the hallway.

"Well, Maybelle and I were talking about our future," he said, a thoughtful look coming over his face. "And we decided on some things."

Link and Tracy looked at each other, and then back at Corny.

"Like what?" Link asked, curious.

"Well, you know that Maybelle will be on maternity leave for a good portion of the year," he started, clearing his throat. "And I have decided that I needed someone else to help me."

"And…?" Tracy wondered.

"Now you're going to be seniors, and Link, this marks the beginning of the fourth year of your service to you." He smiled at Link, and then at Tracy. "And you have the biggest heart out of anybody I know, little lady." He paused, and added hastily, "Well, besides Maybelle, Inez, and Seaweed, of course. And you too Link. Oh, well. Anyway: I have decided that you two deserve a bigger part in this show."

"As in?" they said in unison.

"We want to kind of steer the show in a new direction," Corny said, a smile playing on the corner of his lips. He knew he was keeping them in great suspense. "Get some new ideas…"

"What is it, Corny?!" Tracy cried.

He blew out a breath, and said quickly: "I want you two to host the show next year."

Link gasped.

"What?"

"That wouldn't even be the _Corny Collins__ Show_ any more, Corny!" Tracy cried.

"I know, I know," Corny said, putting up his hands as if surrendering. "But I know what I'm doing. I'll still technically be the host. But someday old Corny here won't be the host of the show, and I want someone else to know what they're doing."

"So, this is the real thing, then," Link said slowly, in shock.

"This is the real thing," Corny smiled.

"Oh my," Tracy sighed.

"You don't even sound happy!" Corny cried.

"Oh, we are, sir," Link assured him. "So happy, I don't know what to say."

"All right, kids. Be ready to take your new jobs seriously, then. But, for now, get out there and have some fun."

He gave them a wink before leaving himself.

"I can't believe this, Link!" Tracy cried.

"I know, doll."

He picked her up in a giant hug and twirled her around in the air. She giggled and kissed him.

"You know how I thought that the Miss Hairspray pageant was the best day of my life?" she said, upon being set on the ground again.

"Yeah."

"Well, I changed my mind."

"What?"

"Today is the best day of my life," she decided. "Because I'm with you."

He kissed her again.

It had been one amazing summer.


	10. A Happy Ending

Walking through the halls of her high school, Tracy looked around at all the people she saw. She had already been in school for a few weeks, and she was already feeling kind of overwhelmed by her school year. Still, she was determined not to give up – she had to do all her work; and she'd do it well, too, she told herself. Hopefully, this year would be better. No, she told herself; it _would_ be better.

Now that she was a senior, she was almost an adult. Heck, she would be eighteen before she knew it. And the only one who could decide how her life would turn out was herself.

She was looking down at the ground, thinking, when she ran smack into an open locker. Angry and in pain, she went around the locker, rubbing her forehead and ready to yell at whoever had left their locker open (forget all that happy-feely stuff!), when she looked right into the face of Lil' Inez.

"Oh, hey Inez!" she said, her hand dropping from her forehead. Hopefully no one had noticed the run-in.

"Tracy!"

Her friend gave her a hug, and then they stepped back to look each other up and down. Tracy nodded her approval before laughing.

"Man, this is so cool!" Inez said. "Being all at the same school, and everything."

"I've only got one year left," Tracy said. "Wow… I almost sounded… _sad _to be leaving school!"

Both girls laughed.

"So, Inez, how's your first month of high school been?"

"It's so much fun," Inez gushed. "I've made so many new friends."

"Does that include a certain boy?" Tracy teased. Inez had a new boyfriend – someone her age, to Seaweed's relief – named Oliver. He was a sweet kid.

"All right, all right," Inez said, "so it does. But he's a real nice boy – I think it'll last longer than me 'n' Jamal." She made a face, remembering her foolish and short relationship with her brother's friend. "And anyway, you've got a boyfriend too, you know."

"Yeah, guess so." Tracy smiled.

Just then, the bell rang.

"Well, I'll see you later, girl. I've gotta run!"

Tracy watched Inez literally run down the hall, pushing through the crowds of people in the hallways. She laughed and shook her head. Poor freshman.

As she sat down in class, Tracy turned to Penny. They still had all their classes together, and they still had classes with Link, Seaweed, Amber, and many of the other council kids. Corny had requested that the kids be grouped together, so they could get closer. That still made Tracy laugh. For as long as he had known the kids, he still hoped – foolishly – that Amber and Tracy would like each other. They didn't, but they were civil, at least.

"So, Penny, did you finish your project?"

"No," Penny gasped, looking pale and bloodshot. "I was up all night last night."

"Really?"

Tracy was shocked. Last year, her friend had always done her homework, and had never stayed up late. Things really had changed since Prudy had left. She was still in the asylum, as far as anyone knew – of course, she hadn't been visited in a while.

"It's not what you think," Penny promised, alarmed. "I was at the hospital."

"Oh, God, Pen, what for?" Tracy gasped.

"Don't worry," Penny soothed her, realizing that no matter what she said would freak Tracy out. She giggled a little. "I was with Seaweed, Inez, and Corny. And Maybelle. And Gloria," she smiled.

"Gloria?"

Penny beamed.

"Maybelle and Corny's new daughter!"

"Oh my gosh! Why didn't Inez tell me?!"

"Because I got dibs," Penny said slyly.

"I should have been there," Tracy sighed. "Was it amazing?"

"It was beautiful," Penny told her. "She's the prettiest baby you'll ever see. She has tan skin, and a little tuft of dark brown hair, a cute little button nose just like Maybelle's, and Corny's eyes."

"She sounds pretty."

"Oh, she is! You should come and see her after school today."

"I'm sorry, I can't – I promised Brenda I'd help babysit the twins."

"Yeah? That sounds like fun."

"Yeah. Her mom is taking care of them now, you know – she should be coming back to school when they're weaned. And her mom was finally brave enough to kick her dad out of the house. They're all really happy."

"That's so nice. Did I tell you that Dad finally got over Mother? He finds our new neighbor a person of interest." she grinned. "The divorce is official now that she's been declared insane."

Tracy tried not to cringe. She knew that this was hard for Penny, but it seemed like she was doing well without her mother around. "You're dad's a good dad."

"That reminds me – how's John?"

"He's good too – a great dad."

Penny grinned. "I knew it. He's a cool guy."

"They're going on a date tonight," Tracy said, arching her eyebrows coyly.

"How sweet. Our anniversary is coming up," Penny added, wiggling in her seat excitedly. Saying this, she looked back at Seaweed – who blew her a kiss.

Penny pretended to catch it and put it to her lips.

Tracy giggled.

"He's getting bolder," she noted. "You'd better keep a hold on that boy, now that his mamma's outta commission, discipline-wise, for the time being."

Penny pretended to be serious. "Yes, indeed."

They both laughed.

Amber came into the class then, late – again – toting a new boyfriend on her arm. Penny and Tracy looked at each other, rolling their eyes, before realizing that Amber's new boyfriend was not new at all. It was Jamal!

"Jamal!" Seaweed called, waving. "Hey, brother!"

Jamal waved back, and Amber smiled demurely, resting her head on his shoulder as he kept his arm protectively around her waist.

"Well, she seems happy," Tracy decided.

"And free," Penny added. "I wonder what her mother thinks…"

"If she's still with him, I don't think Amber cares much. Especially not if she's acting like tha—"

Their mouths fell open in awe as the couple started making out in the back of the classroom. They quickly turned around.

"Let's pretend we didn't see that," Penny said.

"I guess he's over Inez!"

The teacher called the class to attention to begin the day's lecture, and Tracy tried her best to pay attention. Surprisingly, she was interested. U.S. History was actually more fun than she'd expected it to be. Last year, she'd hated Social Studies.

When the bell rang, everybody raced out of class. It was lunchtime!

Link swept Tracy up for a kiss, and they went to go sit with the other council kids. Seaweed and Penny followed.

Amber, Shelley, and Tammy sat down next to each other – as always – but this time they were talking to everybody, and each had made a pact never to steal each other's boyfriends again. They actually seemed like real friends.

The Dynamites were in the mix, with their own boyfriends. For one of the first years ever, black and white kids were sitting together, and actually seeming to enjoy it. Once Amber and Jamal had started going, everything had changed. But, then again, was anything the same as it had been last year?

"I actually have a real class this year instead of detention!" Seaweed roared to his buddies. Penny was leaning on him, laughing along.

Tracy glanced around at the kids she was sitting with, thinking of how everything had turned out. At this time last year, she was stressed out thinking about homework, wishing that she had Link, and wanting badly to be on the show. It seemed, at the moment, like all her dreams had come true. She let out a happy sigh and squeezed Link's hand.

Everybody else was also content. Jamal was with Amber (for good this time it looked like), Inez had Oliver, Tammy had Joey, Penny had Seaweed, Maybelle had Corny, her dad had her mom, Michael had his new neighbor lady, and _she_ had Link. And she had her friends, too. What else did she need?

She smiled, thinking of how much her life had changed. She had never felt happier in her life. Even her hair was feeling great – not a strand out of place. Was it possible for everything to be perfect? She hugged Link, and she realized that it definitely could be. He winked at her, making her heart melt. "You look beautiful, darlin'," he grinned, and gave her a kiss. "I love you."

Life was good, and she was happy. All thanks to a little luck, a lot of love, and, of course, **HAIRSPRAY**.

♥_**THE END**_♥


End file.
